NIAS-NIOD-KITLV Fellowship 2025-2026 (Fully Funded)

NIAS – NIOD – KITLV Fellowship 2025-2026: Moving Objects, Mobilising Culture in the Context of (De)colonisation

The Moving Objects, Mobilising Culture fellowship is designed for researchers from formerly colonised countries, including heritage practitioners, historians, archaeologists, social scientists, artists, journalists, and cultural activists. This fellowship provides an opportunity to study and engage with (lost) collections or objects originating from these regions, currently housed in the Netherlands.

For the academic year 2025-2026, we are offering two fellowships in the first semester (September 2025 – January 2026). The fellowship is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science through the Colonial Collections Consortium.

Fellowship Summary

• Number of Fellowships: Two (2)
• Duration: 5 months each (September 2025 – January 2026)
• Eligibility: Researchers and professionals based in formerly colonised countries with collections in the Netherlands. Eligible applicants include historians, archaeologists, social scientists, heritage experts, artists, journalists, and cultural activists.
• Host Institution: NIAS, with support from NIOD and KITLV.
• Access to Collections & Archives: Fellows will have research opportunities in museums affiliated with the Colonial Collections Consortium (including Wereldmuseum, Rijksmuseum, Museum Bronbeek, and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands) and beyond.
• Funding: Travel cost compensation within the Netherlands (up to €500 in total).

Research Scope and Objectives

The fellowship enables selected researchers to:

• Conduct research on collections and objects from formerly colonised countries currently housed in the Netherlands.
• Engage with archives and documentation related to these objects.
• Explore connections between objects and their social histories and significance.
• Investigate questions of restitution and alternative narratives beyond heritage institutions.
• Establish connections with communities, collections, and sites in the country of origin.
• Develop independent research agendas, potentially leading to innovative findings on the social life of moving objects.

Application & Selection Process

Application Requirements

Candidates must submit the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications, works, or products).
2. Plan of activities to be carried out during the fellowship (max 500 words).
3. Outline of objects or collections in the Netherlands (and possibly abroad) to be researched (max 500 words).
4. Reflection on how this research aligns with the needs and questions in the country of origin (max 500 words).
5. Reflections on how the research can contribute to alternative histories beyond dominant heritage narratives (max 500 words).

Selection Criteria

• Candidates will be selected by a committee comprising representatives from NIOD, NIAS, and KITLV.
• Selection will be based on the quality and relevance of the application, as well as a balance of disciplinary, regional, and professional backgrounds.
• The selection process values alternative engagements with cultural heritage, not just academic credentials.
• Candidates will be notified of the results by end of April 2025.

How to Apply

• Application Deadline: 17 March 2025, 12:00 CET
• Submit Application Here: Apply Now

Contact Information

For inquiries, please contact:
Annette Mullink
Selection Officer, Partnered Fellowships
[email protected]